Yoga
My Yoga Style
Whenever someone new in my life learns that I teach yoga, their inevitable first question is, ‘what style of yoga do you teach?’ Cue a big gasping breath from me as I prepare to tackle that answer head on and with only a few words… Seems like there should be an easy answer to that no? Well actually there isn’t!
The easiest answer would be, ‘I teach Purna Yoga’. This is the school of yoga in which I did all my teacher training and certification to date. The issue with this answer is that when I give this response in the UK, no one really has any idea what I’m talking about! I did all my teacher training in Byron Yoga Centre in Australia, which ascribes their style with the moniker Purna Yoga. As it’s based in Australia, this style has not really taken off much (or been used as a style describer) in the UK. So I’ll usually just receive a blank look if I give this answer. Essentially Purna means integrated or complete, and it’s aim is to take a holistic view of teaching yoga. Where we focus not only on asana, but also meditation, philosophy and pranayama (breathing exercises). It is particularly alignment focused but there is a great freedom to the sequencing of poses and also the energy of your practice ranging from dynamic to restorative – it all falls under the Purna label.
So i have tended to veer away from this response – particularly if I’m not speaking to someone who is also a yoga teacher. Instead I will usually respond with ‘I teach Vinyasa yoga’, which is true! But it’s also not quite the best response either… Vinyasa is a big wide all encompassing label for many styles of yoga. Vinyasa essentially means ‘ to flow with breath’ and most modern yoga styles incorporate some form of flow within their asana practice. So when I give someone this response I’m not painting them a picture of how I teach but rather handing them a whole catalogue of pictures and saying, ‘guess which one is mine!’
Another issue with the Vinyasa label is that it has been somewhat co-opted (particularly in London) to mean strong dynamic yoga, i.e. very challenging and powerful practice. I don’t like the idea of scaring off any potential students from my classes, as my vinyasa flows can range from dynamic to very gentle – sometimes even within one class. This is because I’m looking to challenge my students whatever their experience level, not have them dropping like flies on their mats from sheer exhaustion.
So in response to this dilemma of labels I have decided instead to give you my top 5 aims when I am teaching a yoga class, to give you an idea of what to expect if you join me on the mat.
1. Feel Safe and Comfortable
On a practical and physical level, I do everything I reasonably can to ensure the space that we practice in is safe and comfortable. But what I really mean when I say this, is that I want the atmosphere of my yoga classes to feel safe and comfortable. When you walk through that doorway into the room, you should feel like you are coming home. You should feel relaxed and open to trying new things without feeling fear of judgement or criticism. You should also feel like you have the freedom to ask questions or to alter postures, as feels right for you. The only time I would ever tell a student to stop doing something, was if I felt it was an unsafe practice, either for themselves or their fellow yogis around them.
2. Enjoy yourself - preferably even have a laugh!
I have never understood the point of taking yoga super seriously. Yes, it is an ancient practice that can achieve life-changing results but that doesn’t mean you can’t have fun. When we practice asana we are literally opening up space in our bodies for growth and change, and what better way to fill that space than with joy! Next time you try a challenging posture, try adding a smile into the mix – you’ll be surprised at how it will help to lighten the load and increase your focus. If you take a wobble or tumble, have a giggle and don’t beat yourself up. I am known for peppering my classes with little mini jokes and silly visual cues. I don’t do it because I secretly want to be a comedian, I do it because they help to create a relaxed atmosphere and help you to engage more with the class. Let’s check our egos at the door and enjoy an uplifting yoga practice.
3. Alignment focused and adjustment friendly
This stems not only from the school of yoga I learnt from which is alignment focused and prop friendly, but also my background in dance. I like talking technical in class and teaching you about your muscles, skeletons and nerves, even if it’s in layman terms or with visual cues. If you learn how your body works and functions, your practice deepens and most importantly you will likely enjoy a safer practice. I’ve been known to stop mid-flow and break down an element or transition bit-by-bit to help increase my students knowledge. I’m also a big supporter of self-adjustment, if a posture doesn’t feel right or hurts – change it! Just because this alignment works for me doesn’t mean it will work for you, and that’s completely fine. Experiment and change as needed, and feel free to ask for direct guidance, before, during or after class, it’s what I’m here for.
4. Create Space for you to learn more about your body and therefore yourself
In yoga we talk a lot about the idea of ‘mindfulness’. If that sounds a bit like new age hogwash to you, then let’s try breaking it down this way. The greatest teacher you will ever have in life is yourself – only you can truly understand all your strengths and weaknesses, desires and fears. In my yoga classes, I am less a teacher and more a facilitator in your own internal classroom. Yoga gives us the time and space to listen to our inner wisdom and ask questions. Does this posture not feel right, why? This posture makes me feel unstable in the morning but I enjoy it the evening, why? I sleep better after yoga practice, why? I can reach further in this posture when I think about engaging this muscle or hold my arms like so, why? Slowly but surely, this mindset of asking questions will extend not just to the physical but also the mental and emotional areas of your life. This is the greatest lesson yoga teaches us, to reflect on our reactions and sensations, and to learn from them.
5. Walk away from the mat having learned or discovered something
This ties into the previous point. Ideally, I would like all my students to walk away from the mat having learnt something. Sometimes it may be something very simple and practical like, ‘gosh I get sweaty during practice and find it hard to not slip in downward dog – maybe I need to buy a non-slip yoga towel?’. It could be that I told you to breathe in at a certain moment but it felt more right for you to breathe out. That’s cool, they’re your lungs – you do you! Or it could be something more complex and subtle, like the slow realisation that a certain person in your life is holding you back or causing you emotional tension. Yoga allows for the space and stillness of mind to make these discoveries. It could be a new lesson, or something that you have already learnt in the past but needed a ‘reviser’ of sorts. Big or small, it’s all discovery and I know I always walk away from every lesson I’ve taught learning something from the experience.
The take away...
To be frank, all yoga teachers will teach you a style that is a mish-mash of all their experiences in various yoga schools, or life, to date. I would controversially throw out there, that no yoga style is ‘100% pure’ for this reason and that is how it should be! Yoga is about a conversation and exploration with your body, mind and spirit. It should be constantly growing and evolving , as we the human race grow and evolve.